‘Tis the Season to Reduce Waste

December 17, 2017

Make this holiday season less wasteful with these 5 tips

It’s no surprise that the holiday season generates more trash than any other time of year. Stanford University and www.use-less-stuff.com report that 25% more waste is generated in the time between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Day than any other period throughout the year (that adds up to about 25 million tons of garbage!). It’s easy to get caught up in the rush of buying and wrapping, but if you’re trying to be conscious of your footprint and more considerate of the planet, there are some things you can do to make a difference.

Find used decorationsThis holiday season, we found vintage Polish Christmas ornaments to decorate our tree. It’s nice to give these beautiful ornaments a second life, which are far more interesting than any cheap plastic ornaments we would have purchased elsewhere. We were also gifted unused holiday decorations from Hunter’s parents. Bringing in family pieces adds to the holiday cheer!

Get creative with gift wrappingInstead of buying expensive wrapping paper this year, we decided to cover our gifts with magazines and other cute paper we found around the house. Our collaged presents looked great and saved a few trees!

Put lights on a timer or turn off at night Between our Christmas tree, twinkling lights, and our Christmas village, we were using quite of bit of electricity. While the glow of the lights at night is lovely, be sure to turn them off or set a timer to save on energy (and next month’s bill).

Give second hand, vintage, antique, or handmade giftsVintage or handmade gifts are especially great for the “person who has everything” in your life. This year, Hunter made handmade ornaments for her coworkers, which were a big hit and eco-conscious!